Grade Two Cafe En Seine Novice Hurdle Fairyhouse Guide 2023

The current outsider in the market for this contest is Amir Kabir, Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old who has shown promise over hurdles after plenty of runs on the flat for Roger Charlton. He won on debut at Roscommon last July by just over two lengths before narrow second in listed race over 2m at Galway in July, half a length behind winner Flaming Moon.

Bounced back to win his last race over 2m at Listowel in September and has been off 200 days but looks open to improvement for Elliott and shouldn’t be discounted on that early hurdling form.

Willie Mullins’ 143-rated novice hurdler Hunters Yarn arrives here on the back of a disappointing run in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time out, finishing 12th of 24 following his class one listed success at Navan a month prior. He went off at 11/2 after a run of third, first and first on his first three starts over hurdles, winning easily before his Cheltenham run.

Highly rated weight-wise in this contest and if putting that Cheltenham disappointment behind him, he should go close here for Mullins with Paul Townend booked to ride.

Six-year-old gelding for Paul Nolan who was pulled up last time out in the Challow at Newbury in December, where Paul Nicholls’ Hermes Allen secured victory. Had shown a lot of promise on the run prior to the Challow, winning by five lengths to 85/40fav Viva Devito to claim Div One Fingal Ravens Maiden Hurdle over this C&D earlier that month.

We also saw him pulled up in the Bumper at Cheltenham last year, inside the final three furlongs when well-beaten. Interesting to see how he is after that last run at Newbury in tough conditions and should be better than that day here.

138-rated hurdler for Gordon Elliott who previously held a lot of promise earlier in his career, finishing second in the Champion Bumper to Facile Vega in March last year before third behind Redemption Day and Facile Vega again at Punchestown a month later.

Sent hurdling by Elliott at Down Royal in November last year, scoring by six and a half lengths before being edged out by 10/1 shot Dawn Rising at Navan next time out when priced at 2/7f.

Two poor runs have followed, including seventh of ten in the Ballymore at Cheltenham last month and that early promise is fading. Hasn’t continued to improve, has maybe got slightly worse since the Champion Bumper but may do better down in company.

Henry De Bromhead’s Arctic Bresil is sent here on the back of just two runs over hurdles, winning on debut at Cork in December at 11/8 before pulling up before two out in the Grade One Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle at Sandown in January, where Supreme Novices’ Hurdle runner Tahmuras claimed victory.

Must bounce back following that run but is lightly raced with just the two runs and should be open to much more improvement and Rachael Blackmore is on board for this contest.

The second runner that Willie Mullins deploys in this contest is six-year-old Hercule Du Seuil. Slightly more lightly raced than a few in this race, with five career runs at the likes of Strasbourg, Navan and here last time out, where he was pulled up before two out in the Royal Bond won by Marine Nationale.

Had previously beaten Imagine and Three Card Brag to a grade three hurdle success at Navan in November after winning a maiden hurdle easily by 16 lengths at Tipperary in October.

Needs to bounce back after that last outing but must be respected for a top stable.

We last saw Nucky Johnson continue his promising start to life over hurdles for Noel Meade at Naas in March, beating Doyen Ta Win by just over five lengths at 7/2 to claim victory in the Treo Eile Rated Novice Hurdle over 2m.

Has previously beaten Hunters Yarn at Punchestown last November when finishing second behind The Big Doyen who was eventually demoted to second, handing Nucky Johnson the win with Hunters Yarn in third.

Arrives here rated at 134, which could lead to him running a good race against Mullins’ Hunters Yarn and he should be in with a shout.